Girl in the Mirror
by moonbunny83
Summary: Serena reflects on her decision about her relationship with Darien. This is a sequel to "Heart."


Only one thing you need to know. This is a sequel for "Heart" but can   
be read as a stand-alone fic. Hope you enjoy!  
  
GIRL IN THE MIRROR  
By: Moonbunny83  
6/3/02 - 7/26/02  
E-mail: moonbunny83@hotmail.com  
Sailor Moon created by:   
Naoko Takeuchi  
  
The song "Girl in the Mirror" is produced by Per Magnusson   
and David Kreuger for Cheiron Productions  
(Jörgen Elofsson) Zomba Songs Inc. (BMI)/BMG Music Publishing   
Scandinavia (STIM). All rights in the U.S. on behalf of BMG Music   
Publishing Scandinavia administered by Careers-BMG Music Publishing,   
Inc. (BMI)  
  
"Good night, Luna," Serena Tsukino mumbled in her pillows.  
  
"Good night, Serenity." Luna, the crescent moon bald-spotted cat,   
gently bit the corner of the comforter with her razor-sharp teeth and   
tucked Serena in for the night. After making sure her princess was safe   
from the fierce cold of the hours of darkness, Luna quietly left the   
bedroom, her mind filled with motherly concerns.  
  
Through half-lidded eyes, Serena watched the black cat's   
retreating form and whispered to herself, "I can do this. Almost five   
months have passed since . . ." She broke off with a sudden hateful   
memory. Darien's face, his soul-piercing cobalt eyes, his . . . Serena   
abruptly closed her own cerulean eyes shut as well as her mind against   
the recollections, against the man she once believed herself in loved   
with. "It's over," she spoke softly to the wind with a tone of finality,   
a solitary tear making its lonely descent on porcelain, ivory skin.  
  
ELSEWHERE IN THE OCEAN OF TIME  
  
A young girl huddled tightly in a corner, her shoulders vigorously   
shaking with heart-wrenching sobs. Her small, flawless hands   
desperately covered her tear-streaked face, blocking the rest of the   
world from view.   
  
The room she was in cannot exactly be called as such. Rather, the   
words void, bare, and dark describe her surroundings to perfection. The   
corner she tries to hide in is in actuality a vast, never-ending   
nothingness. Darkness has swallowed her whole, leaving everything else   
behind in cascades of radiance but a lone, oval-shaped mirror to accompany   
her.   
  
The mirror, to put in bluntly, was plain. No decorations, no   
embellishments, no frame graced it. It merely floated freely in the air,   
answering to the will of the young girl, answering to the desperate plea   
of her heart. Simple though it may be, this was no ordinary mirror.   
One might as well call it a looking glass since its purpose was exactly   
that.   
  
The tormented girl looks through it every once in a while, whenever   
she hears a cry much like her own. On the other side of the pane, she   
sees a girl suffering as much as she, with no one to blame but herself.   
She would try to reach out, but to no avail. She would always end up   
trapped within herself, within her heart. She was a prisoner in the   
entrapment of lies, of deceit, of denial. It was her choice. And she   
must learn to live with it.  
  
CROWN ARCADE  
  
"Penny for your thoughts?" Andrew Furuhata inquired with a raised   
brow as he slid in the booth across Serena. When he received no answer,   
the blond waiter launched yet again another tactic to make the girl talk.   
"No? All right," he started. "I guess your thoughts are a tad pricey,   
but the only thing I have on me at the moment is this." With a flick of   
the wrist to make any magician proud, Andrew revealed a tall glass filled   
with double chocolate ice cream sundae topped with whipped cream and   
strawberries. Taking no risk this time, he immediately waved the   
concoction under Serena's nose in an attempt to send the aroma of   
chocolate and strawberries to the unsuspecting girl. Sure enough, a pair   
of small hands swiftly grabbed the offering, squeezing the life out of   
Andrew's own in the process. "Eeyow, girl!" Andrew cried out, trying to   
pull his abused hands out of Serena's grasp. "Don't be so greedy!"  
  
Serena smiled sheepishly. "Sorry, Andrew. A word of advice.   
Never ever put yourself between me and my food or you'll suffer the   
consequences." She smiled jokingly and placed a spoon full of ice cream   
in her mouth.  
  
"Advice taken." Andrew grinned. "It's nice to see you smiling   
again, Serena."  
  
"You know me. I get knocked down and I bounce right back. It just   
took me a little longer this time."  
  
"Yeah . . . this time." Andrew's thoughts quickly traveled to   
Darien, the cause of Serena's tears. 'I can't believe you did this to   
her again. You don't deserve her! You never have, you b-,' he angrily   
shouted in his mind. 'She's much to good for the likes of you!'  
  
Seeing her friend frown, Serena's eyebrows furrowed in response.   
After swallowing a strawberry whole, she asked, "Is something wrong?"  
  
"Huh? What?" Andrew shook his head clear and returned his   
attentions to the girl eating heartily across him. "Did you say   
something, Serena?"  
  
Staring at him like he's grown two, giant horns, Serena answered   
slowly. "Never mind." Staring at him some more, she continued.   
"Um, Andrew?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"A line is starting to form over there." She pointed across the   
arcade; and sure enough, a group of agitated and hungry customers waited   
with very little patience.  
  
Andrew grinned. "Well, I guess I better go over there and see   
what they want before a riot breaks out." He stood and turned around to   
leave until Serena's voice halted his stride.  
  
"Andrew?" He faced her and looked at her questioningly. Serena   
gestured towards the half empty sundae and resumed. "How much do I owe   
you for this?"  
  
Andrew smiled and replied. "Seeing you smile again was good   
enough payment for me."  
  
Serena beamed happily. "Thanks, Andrew. For everything."  
  
A blush quickly made its way known and Andrew stuttered for an   
answer. "Hey, what are friends for?"  
  
"Hey, bozo!" A hungry customer yelled out. "Are you going to   
offer some service here or what?"  
  
"I SCREAM. YOU SCREAM. WE ALL SCREAM FOR ICE CREAM!" A group   
of boisterous boys started stomping their feet, screaming at the top of   
their lungs.  
  
Andrew winced. "Tough customers, huh?" Bestowing yet another   
smile at Serena, he set out for the crowded counter across the arcade   
with a single purpose in mind.  
  
BEHIND THE MIRROR  
  
The mirror floated proudly. Its shining surface projected a lone   
beam of light that enveloped a dismal figure, desperately trying to grasp   
an invisible thread to escape the unbreakable bonds of fate. The girl   
slowly unfurled herself and dragged her numbed legs towards the smirking   
mirror. With one hand, she wiped the pane clean and squinted, staring at   
the other side. The other side with colors, with radiance. With life.   
  
It was night again. She could tell. The curtains were drawn, the   
moon was out; it was silent except for the occasional sobs underneath a   
warm comforter.   
  
She was crying again. The girl on the other side of the mirror.   
Somebody must have done something unthinkable and unforgivable to her to   
cause such pain. To cause such sadness. She is so young, and yet, life   
had already dealt her a deathblow. Poor thing. What could she have done   
to deserve this? Her heart is broken. The figure could tell. She could   
tell that much and nothing more.  
  
Maybe she could be of some help to the girl. They have so much in   
common. So much pain to share with one another. So much grief to   
dispense of once and for all.   
  
The figure placed both hands upon the cold, hard glass of the mirror  
and whispered one word.  
  
"Serena . . ."  
  
INSIDE SERENA'S BEDROOM  
  
Serena clutched the comforter tightly, attempting to pull herself   
together. She is so sick and tired and spending night after night crying   
her heart out. But she couldn't help it. The tears demanded to be   
released. No matter how hard she tries to stop them, they keep coming.   
Reminding her of everything. Reminding her of him.   
  
Releasing what she hoped is the final sob; Serena stared up at the   
ceiling. She closed her eyes slowly, waiting for the calmness to take   
effect. She smiled sadly, thinking of how many times she has done this.   
Waiting for her mind and body to become numb. Numb enough that she was   
able to get some sleep. Numb enough to get through the next day. Numb   
enough to forget everything.  
  
Sleep was finally taking its toll when she heard the whisper.  
  
"Serena . . ."   
  
"Who's there?" Serena sat up in bed, crying out in the darkness.  
  
"Serena . . ."  
  
"Show yourself before I call the police!"  
  
"In the mirror . . ."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Look in the mirror . . ."  
  
"Why? Where are you?"  
  
"Behind the mirror . . . Look in the mirror . . ."  
  
"Who are you?"  
  
"Look in the mirror and you'll find me . . ."  
  
"WHO ARE YOU?!"  
  
"Look in the mirror and you'll find yourself . . ."  
  
"WHAT?!" Serena shrieked angrily. "Is this somebody's idea of   
a sick joke?"  
  
"Look in the mirror and you'll find yourself . . ."  
  
"I don't need to look in the mirror to see myself!" Serena   
protested. "I already know what I look like!"  
  
"On the surface . . . only on the surface . . ."  
  
"Now see here, buster! I don't care who you are anymore. Just   
get out of my room and leave me alone. I don't get enough sleep as it   
is and I don't need you harassing me in the middle of the night!"   
Serena angrily pulled her blankets over her head and turned a deaf ear,   
no longer concerned about the mysterious voice whispering through the   
night over and over again.  
  
"Look in the mirror and you'll find yourself . . . Look in the   
mirror and you'll see beneath the surface . . . Only then . . . Only   
then . . . Only then."  
  
THE NEXT DAY - RAYE'S TEMPLE  
  
"Miracles do happen!" Raye Hino joked. "Meatball Head is   
actually here on time for once."  
  
"Very funny ha ha," Serena only smiled angelically at her.  
  
"You're in a good mood," Lita Kino observed.  
  
"Just being myself."  
  
Amy Mizuno grinned. "It's good to have the old Serena back."  
  
"You bet it is!" Mina Aino blurted out. "Especially after the   
way you've been acting because of the whole Darien thing and -"  
  
"Mina!" Raye glared at her. "Let's talk about something else,   
shall we?"  
  
"It's okay, Raye. I'm fine with it."  
  
"Are you sure?"   
  
"Yeah. Totally over him."   
  
Raye looked at her doubtfully. "Well, if you say so."  
  
"I do say so." Serena beamed at her and abruptly changed the   
subject. "Well, what have you guys been up to lately?"   
  
"You wouldn't believe who Lita and I ran into at the mall today,"   
Mina gushed.  
  
"You'd never guess!" Lita equally gushed. "He was so dreamy."  
  
"So charming," Mina added in with stars in her eyes.  
  
"So handsome." Lita grinned at each girl with excitement. "And   
he looked just like -"  
  
"Your old boyfriend!" Every girl finished for her and laughed   
when Lita frowned in confusion.  
  
"How did you know?"  
  
"Lita," Amy started in a quiet voice. "According to you, every   
guy that walks on this planet looks just like your old boyfriend."  
  
"That's not true!" Lita protested loudly.   
  
"She's right, Amy! Only planet Earth?" Raye chuckled. "Try   
the entire galaxy!"  
  
"Try the entire universe!" Serena gasped.  
  
"Hey!"  
  
Mina snorted. "Yeah! The Snickers Galaxy can only stretch so   
far!" The girls turned silent and stared at Mina incredulously. "What?   
Do I have broccoli in my teeth or something?"  
  
"You mean the Milky Way Galaxy," Amy corrected.  
  
Mina became baffled. "How many galaxies are there that are named   
after chocolate bars?"  
  
"As far as I know, only one. And I don't think our galaxy was   
named after the chocolate." Raye stared at Mina. "You WERE referring   
to our galaxy, right?"  
  
"Yeah, so?"  
  
Serena's stomach grumbled for a few minutes. The four girls gave   
her a look of both disbelief and humor. "Sorry," she shrugged her   
shoulders sheepishly. "All this talk about chocolate bars is making me   
hungry."  
  
"When are you ever otherwise?" Raye muttered under her breath   
with a smile.  
  
"Hey!" Serena scowled and glared at the dark-haired girl.   
"Let's get back to the subject at hand, all right?"  
  
"But I thought it was making you hungry?" Mina asked in   
concern.  
  
"SO," Lita laughed and addressed the concerned blonde. "Either   
way, you're wrong."  
  
"Either way what?"  
  
"Whether or not there are other galaxies named after chocolate   
bars, you're still wrong."  
  
"About what?"  
  
"About the name of our galaxy." Amy explained.  
  
"Are we back to that?"  
  
Raye sighed in defeat. "We've BEEN talking about it."  
  
"Weren't we talking about my future boyfriend?" Mina exhaled   
noisily with impatience.   
  
"YOUR future boyfriend?!" Lita glowered at her good-naturedly.  
  
Mina only ignored her tirade and announced firmly. "Anyway, I'm   
hungry from all this talking. Anybody got a Snickers bar?"  
  
"If I did," Serena chuckled. "My stomach wouldn't be   
protesting!"  
  
"Somebody shoot me right now," Raye jokingly cried out. Mina   
stood up abruptly and started for the door. "Mina! I was only   
kidding! Come back here!"  
  
"Later, Raye!" Mina called over her shoulder. "I'm really   
hungry and I can't wait! I want a Snickers bar!"  
  
LATER THAT DAY  
  
"My friends never fail to cheer me up. Even when they have no   
idea I need cheering up." Serena said out loud to herself, reluctantly   
dragging her feet in the direction of her house. "They sure made me   
forget about the mirror phantom. About Darien." She snorted and looked   
up at the clear sky above. "But good things never last long. I learned   
that the hard way. Twice."   
  
Serena sighed quietly. "But now. I'm actually having regrets.   
When I've finally convinced myself that I don't need him in my life, I   
start having second thoughts. Am I trying to prove something? To   
Darien? To myself?"  
  
Finally arriving home, she unlocked the front door and went inside.   
"Mom! I'm home!" Only silence greeted her back. "I guess I beat them   
home."  
  
Enjoying the peace that associated the sound of silence, Serena   
ran upstairs and locked herself inside her room. Immediately, she heard   
a heart-wrenching sob that seems to be coming directly from her mirror.   
"Who's there?" Serena whispered, not wanting to be a bother to the poor   
soul behind the smooth surface of the pane. She slowly advanced to the   
mirror and was surprised to find a dark void where her face should have   
been. "Is there anybody in there?" Her voice wavered slightly as she   
slowly placed both hands against the hard, cold outer shell of the   
looking glass.  
  
A flickering beam instantly showered a solitary figure within the   
abyss. Serena strained to see past the fragile light and was shocked to   
discover a slim girl slowly making her way to the other side of the   
mirror. Her face is yet to be seen clearly but there was enough   
lighting to know that the girl was softly crying.   
  
"Who are you?" Serena asked gently. "Why are you crying?"  
  
"Look in the mirror and you'll find yourself . . . Look in the   
mirror and you'll see beneath the surface . . . Only then . . . Only   
then . . . Only then."  
  
'That voice,' Serena thought to herself. 'It's the same from   
last night.'  
  
"Look in the mirror and you'll find yourself . . . Look in the   
mirror and you'll see beneath the surface . . . Only then . . . Only   
then . . . Only then."  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
The phantom girl finally walked the last steps towards Serena   
and looked at her directly in the eye. "Look in the mirror and you'll   
find yourself . . . Look in the mirror and you'll see beneath the   
surface . . . Only then will you find your answer. Only then will you   
find what you have lost. Only then will you find yourself." Serena   
gasped. Her heart skipped a beat as she stared at a pair of cerulean   
orbs much like her own. Her heart constricted as she stared at herself,   
as she stared at the girl in the mirror.   
  
The phantom smiled sadly and said to her, "Now, do you understand?   
Do you understand what you've lost? What you gave up?" Serena nodded   
slowly, tears streaming down her cheeks, being reflected off of the   
mirror. "You understand what you must do? Get me out of this empty   
space, Serena. Free me; free us from the void. Free yourself from the   
nothingness."  
  
"I will," Serena answered hoarsely. She watched the dream fade   
away and be replaced by her reflection. "It's me. The girl in the   
mirror was me all along." Serena approached her bed to lie down under   
the covers. She slept with a smile for the first time in many months.   
And all because of a girl in the mirror. All because of herself.  
  
THE END   
  
That was a tad short. Sorry about that.  
Well? How was it? Let me know. Hehehe. Don't worry. I'm planning a   
sequel. Until next time.  
*^_^* moonbunny83 


End file.
